The Russellville Democrat., 1887-03-09
THIRTEENTH YEAR.--NO.7
TILLERS OF THE SOIL
Arkansas Farmers.

rooms yesterday at a. NJ, pursuant
to call published by the press.
Gen. ID. McRea, of White, called
the meeting to order and nominated
Col. F. M. Locke, of Crawford, tenn
porary chairman. His election was
unanimous.
Col. LoCKE's ADDRESS.
On taking the chair Col. Lock e
said:
GENTLEMEN-W have met to con
slider questions Of momentous in
terest to al. Of the citizens of our
state as well as the entire country.
OF the truth of this statement l ap
prehend there is no division of opin
/ ion.
But of the agencies and methods
we are to adopt, to the end that we
may furnish a basis or plan of co op
Grafton upon and by which agricul
turists generally may come together
and tremendously work out system
calculated to inform and improve
the old beaten track of farming, is
the paramount duty of this meeting.
/ need hardly to remind the gen
tlemen here that we have as agricul-
turists, in the south, perpetuated
largely more Of the ante bellum plan
of labor than ability to execute the
same or economy to make it pay.
For our ancient landmarks pertain
ing to tiliing the soil we bear too viv-
id recollection without the ability
to initiate or the hope of remunera
| tion therein.
OF the multitudious changes
wrought in the past twenty years
very few have Injured to our advan-
tage, and very many have conducted
to our injury and i'll success.
The price of our labor has won
derfully changed, but in very few in
stances for the good of the farmer.
Butln nearly every instance the la
bors of others have maintained high
and remunerative prices, while ours
have failed to pay. The western
farmer is only able to get for his
wheat SOC per bushel, while the
gram harvester and wheat binder
sells at the same figures as when
wheat was worth 81. The same is
true OF the plow that turns the fur
row, the harrow that pulverizes the
soil or the drill that strews the
wheat Everything turned off from
the farm is very cheap. But every
1 thing turned off from the factory is
dear, comparatively speaking. Cot
ton and wool products of the farm
are quite low, but this seems to have
no appreciable effect on the price of
the cloth manufactured from the
same. Potatoes on the farm are
cheap, but the bags in which they
are shipped and wagons in which
they are hauled to the market cost
as much as when potatoes cost
twice or thrice the present rates.
Fomerly the prices of articles of
food governed the prices of most
other articles, in the wheat growing
country the price of wheat governs
the price of other articles, and
many of us Of the south, when we
ascertained the price to be realized for
cotton, knew pretty well what we
must pay for coffee, calomel and
cotton fabrics, but this is all chang
ed.
Another striking change is that
whereas now, as formerly, we knew,
because we set the price upon our
produce, what we would receive, or
nearly so. But what we have to
buy is regulated so completely by
combinations and associations of
capital formed among Manufacturers
that individuals fail to know what
many important articles will com
mand in the markets until the direc
tors speak. And the manufacturers
OF nearly every important article
combine to limit production and
keep up prices. They even combine
to prevent the establishment of fac
tories similar to their own, and
hence il is they keep down every op
portunity for competition; and they
combine to keep upa regular scale
of prices and rigidly carry out the
same; and while we as a class must
take our produce thousands ot.mlles
20 nnd a market, and then compete
with the world FOR prices, the manu-
lacturers Of our own country, whose
goods the laws and circumstances
compel us TO buy, there is no com
. petition % cheaper the same or pre-
vent imposition or fraud.
Now, gentlemen, have given you
. @ fcw facts mainly for the purpose
I of calling attention to what may be
done hv go operation and concert
. of action ou common basis for a
specific purpose, aud from the same
would suggest a few natural and
practical deductions, w:
az 90 interest so lqcomparably
sma can sway such potent intlneh
ess. aud eject surh wonderful re-
SALTS. uhat may We not do with su.
l.eF.or numbers, means and influence
+ I'd se wiil unite and work Alright Is
fhfra people anywhere who have
so much Of stake, or whose interests
are more fully and completely linden
ugst than tLc planters Of the south.
Ia attend to the various subjects
lfsoRht ailh such weighty eonse
qasgers. aH1 with results so far
g.aebIHe emf beneleial, is the busi-